The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Eastern Franklin, Western Franklin, Western Hampshire, Northern Worcester and Northwest Middlesex counties for forecasted areas of freezing rain.

The Weather Advisory is in effect from 3 p.m. Monday to 9 a.m. Tuesday. Spotty light wintry precipitation is expected which will transition to areas of freezing rain later today, continuing tonight into Tuesday morning. The greatest risk of icing will be over the higher elevations. The ice will result in hazardous travel conditions, including during today’s evening commute and tomorrow’s morning commute.

Total ice accumulations up to 1/10 of an inch are expected over the higher elevations, but locally 1/10 to 2/10 of an inch over the higher elevations in Northern Worcester County. Any freezing rain will change to rain by mid-morning Tuesday as temperatures rise above freezing.

A brief period of southerly wind gusts up to 50 mph is possible Tuesday afternoon across Southeast Massachusetts. Isolated power outages possible. An estimated 6-hour period of heavy rainfall is likely Tuesday, moving west to east across southern New England. Rainfall will average 0.75 to 1.5 inches. Widespread river flooding is not expected, but some lingering ice jam flooding is possible as the new rainfall causes ice upstream to move. Some minor poor drainage and urban flooding is possible.

· Light icing also possible, since temperatures will stay near freezing.

· The fog should lift Tuesday morning, most likely by 9 a.m.

· Be aware dense fog may expand into most of Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts later tonight.

Light icing through Tuesday morning

· East slopes of Berkshires and Worcester Hills and now into the I-495 corridor of northeast Massachusetts.

· Ice accretion up to one tenth of an inch, especially over higher elevations. Locally one to two tenths of an inch possible over higher elevations in northern Worcester county.

· Hazardous travel conditions, especially during the evening commute.

Strong winds Tuesday afternoon

· A period of south wind gusts to 50 mph Tuesday afternoon in Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts, where we are planning to issue Wind Advisories.

· Isolated power outages possible.

Heavy rainfall Tuesday

· About a 6-hour period of heavy rainfall is likely Tue, moving west to east across southern New England. Rainfall will average .75 to 1.5 inches.

· Widespread river flooding is still not expected, but some lingering ice jam flooding is possible as the new rainfall causes ice upstream to move, especially in eastern Franklin and northern Worcester Counties (Millers River)

Utilize Massachusetts Alerts to receive emergency notifications and information from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. Massachusetts Alerts is a free app that is available for Android and iPhones. To learn more about Massachusetts Alerts, and for information on how to download the free app onto your smartphone, visit: http://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-alerts-smartphone-app.

Utilize MEMA’s real-time power outage viewer to stay informed about current power outages in your community and region, and across the state, including information from utility companies about restoration times: http://mema.mapsonline.net/public.html